DEAD END STREET

Lou Rawls



I was born in a city that they call
"The Windy City"
And they call it the Windy City because of "the Hawk"
The Hawk
The Almighty Hawk
Mister Wind
Takes care of plenty business
'Round winter time

The place that I lived in
Was on a street that uh
Happened to be one of the dead-end streets
Where there was nothing to block
The wind the elements

Nothing to buffer them for me
To keep 'em
From knockin' my bed down d'y'hea'm
I mean really sockin' it to me

When the boiler would bust and the heat was gone d'y'hea'm
I had to get fully dressed before I could go to bed
Course I couldn't put on my "goulashes" 'cause they had buckles on 'em
And my folks didn't play that
They said "don't you tear up my bed clothes wit' dem boot hushies on"

But I was fortunate
Soon as I was big enough to get a job and save enough money
Get a ticket
Catch anything I split

And I said "one day I'm 'onna return
And I'm gonna straighten it all out"
And I'm 'bout ready to go back now
So I thought I'd tell you about it

Ah they say this is a big rich town
But I live in the poorest part
I know I'm on a dead-end street
In a city without a heart

I learned to fight before I was six
The only way I could get along
When you're raised on a dead-end street
You've gotta be tough and strong

Now all the guys I know gettin' in trouble
That's how it's always been
When the odds are all against you
How can you win

Yeah
Yeah yeah

Ah Lord 'n' now yeah

I'm gonna push my way out of here
Even though I can't say when
But I'm gonna get off of this dead-end street
And I ain't never gonna come back again

Never
No no no
Oh now Lord
Again now yeah

I'm gonna push my way out of here
Even though I can't say when
But I'm gonna get off of this dead-end street
And I ain't gonna never come back again

No no no
I ain't gonna come back to this dead-end street no more
No
'Cause I'm gonna get me a job

I'm gonna save my dough
Get away from here
I ain't gonna come back no more
I'm tired of a dead-end street
I want to get out in the world and learn something
Tired of breakin' my back
I want to start usin' my mind